The present disclosure relates to keys and locks, and more specifically, to locks that can detect when they are being tampered with.
Keys and locks have been around for years. They are often used in combination with each other to secure property. To unlock the lock, the key is inserted into the lock and then turned. This causes a cam or lever on the end of the lock to rotate from a locked to an unlocked position and allowing access to the area or space which the lock was protecting. The lock will open if the correct key is inserted. If an incorrect key is inserted the lock will not open as the key cannot be turned. However, locks are often the targets of lock pickers. Lock pickers use a number of tools or picks to push the pins in the lock to the correct position to permit the plug in the lock to rotate. There have been numerous attempts to make locks that are more difficult or impossible to pick. However, each of these approaches to making a more secure lock give evidence to the picker of their enhanced capabilities. For example, magnetic locks require keys that have magnets on them which are obvious to the casual observer. Thus, tipping the lock picker to what tools and what approaches are needed to pick the particular lock. Further, a lock picker is often able to return to a lock on many different times in an attempt to pick the lock. They may do this over a period of time to avoid being detected.